Spear tube for beer keg

Abstract

A spear tube comprises a body connected with a keg neck interface of the beer keg. A gas valve, a down tube and a beer valve installed in the down tube are fittingly connected to the body. A stopper prevents the spear tube from popping out from the beer keg during detaching operation. A stopper portion of the stopper is formed protruding in the obliquely upward direction to penetrate a side hole of the body and has a cross-section a predetermined curvature shape. Therefore, the stopper functions to prevent the popping-out of the spear tube and is improved in its durability.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A spear tube for a beer keg comprising: a body connected with a keg neck interface of the beer keg, said body having a side hole formed at a cylindrical wall thereof;   a gas valve fittingly connected with an inner portion of said body;   a down tube whose one end is in contact with said body through said gas valve;   a beer valve disposed in said down tube and in contact with said gas valve; and   a stopper including a ring portion which is connected to said down tube and an arm portion which is bent from the ring portion and extends perpendicularly from the ring portion, the arm portion having generally U-shaped slit which defines a stopper portion on the arm portion, the stopper portion being formed bent in cross section to have a predetermined curvature and Protruding in the obliquely upward direction from the arm portion while penetrating the side hole of said body, a cross-section of the stopper portion being formed to have a predetermined curvature.   
     
     
       2. A spear tube as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stopper portion has a cross-section of a V-shape. 
     
     
       3. A spear tube as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stopper portion has a cross-section of an arc-shape. 
     
     
       4. A spear tube as claimed in claim 1, wherein the side hole of said body is formed such that a lower periphery of the side hole has a shape corresponding to the cross-sectional of the stopper portion. 
     
     
       5. A spear tube as claimed in claim 1, wherein a part of the portion surrounded the U-shaped slit is bent so as to protrude in the obliquely upward direction while penetrating the side hole of said body. 
     
     
       6. A spear tube as claimed in claim 1, wherein the side hole of said body has a vertical dimension which is equal to or greater than a stroke of said down tube moved by a beer pouring operation. 
     
     
       7. A spear tube as claimed in claim 5, wherein a base of the stopper portion is bent twice and this is minor difference in level to be parallel with the arm portion, the tip of the stopper portion continuous to the parallel portion being bent obliquely and upward so as to obliquely and upwardly project from the side hole when the spear tube is installed in the beer keg. 
     
     
       8. A spear tube for a beer keg, said spear tube comprising: a cylindrical body connected with a keg neck interface of the beer keg, said body having a side hole formed at a cylindrical wall thereof and an inner step formed at an inside thereof;   a gas valve fittingly connected with an inside wall of said body;   a first coil spring disposed in said body;   a down tube including a flange portion and an enlarged portion continuous to the flange portion, the flange portion being pushed by said first coil spring so that the flange portion is in contact with said gas valve, said down tube;   a beer valve disposed in said down tube and in contact with said gas valve;   a second coil spring disposed in the enlarged portion of said down tube and pushing said beer valve toward said gas valve;   a stopper including a ring portion which is connected to said down tube and an arm portion which is bent from the ring portion and extends downward from the ring portion, the arm portion having generally U-shaped slit which defines a stopper portion on the arm portion, the stopper portion being formed bent in cross section to have a predetermined curvature for reinforcing and protruding in the obliquely upward direction while penetrating the side hole of said body, a cross-section of the stopper portion being formed to have a predetermined curvature for reinforcing.